neurogenic arthropathy

neurogenic arthropathy, condition characterized by the destruction of a stress-bearing joint, with development of new bone around the joint. Eventually the affected individual is unable to use the joint but experiences little or no pain or discomfort. The condition accompanies damage to the nervous system in which the sense of joint position and strength is lost, so one is not aware of injury. Destructive changes develop rapidly. The most common cause of neurogenic arthropathy is tabes dorsalis, a nervous system disease that occurs as a result of untreated syphilis; the knee, hip, ankle, and lower back are most often affected. Neurogenic arthropathy of the foot occurs as a complication of diabetes. Other diseases that destroy the sense of joint position or of pain, such as leprosy, spinal cord injury, or pernicious anemia, may also cause the condition. Treatment involves complete protection of the joint from further stress or injury, commonly by the use of a brace. Charcot joint is named for the 19th-century French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot, who first described the condition.